1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information device operation apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, a safety operation system has been disclosed for operating an on-vehicle device, such as a vehicle navigation system, (see for example, JP-A-2005-63090). The safety operation system includes function selecting means for cyclically selecting one of multiple control targets every time a movement or a position of a certain finger, such as a thumb, relative to a palm is detected. Also, the safety operation system includes device operation means for providing the selected control target selected by the function selecting means with a control amount that is in proportional with a movement of the palm having a preset finger shape, such as a pointing shape.
In the safety operation system, by folding and unfolding the thumb while the other fingers are folded onto the palm to form a partially clenched fist, the multiple control target devices are cyclically selected. The above operation manner is performed as natural as if a push switch held by the palm is pushed by the thumb. As a result, the one of the multiple control target devices can be selected without difficulty or uneasiness, and thereby the operability is improved.
However, in the above safety operation system, a camera is provided above the operation object for capturing an image of a surface of the operation object, which surface receives extraneous light from outside. In the environment of the in-vehicle devices, the extraneous light widely changes, and thereby in the above structure, the luminance of the operation object widely changes. As a result, a hand region or an area corresponding to the hand is difficult to extract. Thus, the above difficulty may lead to an erroneous detection of the finger shape or hand movement.
Also, it is necessary to accurately detect an angle of the palm or a distance of the hand from the camera in a case, where the navigation map is operated by a three dimensional movement of the hand. In order to achieving the above accurate detection, the change in the luminance due to the distance or the angle may be detected by applying the illumination and capturing the image with the camera.
If the camera and a lighting equipment are provided on the ceiling in order to realize the above structure in a vehicle, the distance to the hand becomes relatively long. Thereby a stereo camera may be needed for detecting the change in the luminance that may correspond to the change in the angle of the hand. Thus, the device configuration may disadvantageously become complex.